Digital X-ray detectors are very expensive pieces of equipment that require gently storage and handling. Conventional apparatus for storing digital X-ray detectors include a digital X-ray detector storage bin that is attached or mounted to the outside of a digital X-ray machine. The digital X-ray detector storage bins often include a door on the top of the digital X-ray detector storage bin. The door is opened to place a digital X-ray detector in the digital X-ray detector storage bin, and then closed again after the digital X-ray detector is placed in the digital X-ray detector storage bin.
The doors on the digital X-ray detector bins are greatly problematic. One problem with the door on the digital X-ray detectors is difficulty in manufacturing the doors. The doors include a latch and a striker. The latch is screwed on to the sheet metal frame of the digital X-ray detector storage bin. During manufacturing, if the screw is torqued too much, the latch will not open, the latch will not engage. Thus, the operability of the door and the latch is dependent upon the skill of assembly operator. In addition, the latch includes a number of spacers and washers to provide proper spacing for alignment during opening and closing of the door, which increases manufacturing complexity.
In addition, the door of the digital X-ray detector storage bin receives a considerable amount of physical abuse. The digital X-ray detector storage bin is typically located about 2.5 feet above the ground, about knee-height. Quite often, the door is operated (opened and closed) through contact with the knee of a medical technician. Opening and closing the door with a knee tends to be more forceful than operating the door by a hand, which results in a substantial amount of force being applied to the door, which has a deleterious effect on the door, leading to damage to the door much earlier than expected. All conventional digital X-ray detector storage bin door designs seem to be susceptible to premature wear-and-tear. Premature wear-and-tear is a particularly acute problem for X-ray systems associated with emergency rooms, where the fast pace of the workers exacerbates the excessive force placed on the digital X-ray detector storage bin doors.
Another problem with the doors is expediency. The process of opening the door takes time. Often, the operators of the X-ray equipment feel pressed for time, which in turn causes the operators to open the doors and close the doors rapidly and roughly.
Furthermore, when the digital X-ray detector storage bin door is not moved to a closed position by the operator, the door drops onto hard stops when opened, causing noise, and wear on the system. Placing the detector in the digital X-ray detector storage bin also requires two hands or a hand and a knee, one to hold the door open, and the other to place the detector in the digital X-ray detector storage bin. In fast-paced healthcare environments, the time and attention that is required to place the detector in the digital X-ray detector storage bin seems bothersome.
Further yet, in conventional digital X-ray detector storage bin designs, the latch and the latch mechanisms includes a number of screws, which are in close proximity to location of the detector in the digital X-ray detector storage bin. When the detector is placed in the digital X-ray detector storage bin, the detectors passes by screws, the detector is frequently scratched by the screws and other parts the latch mechanism. The screws and the latch mechanism are also somewhat unsightly.
In addition, conventional digital X-ray detector bins have a hard rubber stopper mounted on the horizontal (i.e. bottom) inside surface of the digital X-ray detector storage bin. Digital X-ray detectors have been damaged when place abruptly in the digital X-ray detector storage bin and having made forceful contact with the hard rubber bumpers.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a system or apparatus that reduces the problems of digital X-ray detector storage bins such as the susceptibility to wear and tear and manufacturing defects of the doors. There is also a need for faster operation of the digital X-ray detector storage bin doors. This is a further need to reduce damage to the detectors by the digital X-ray detector storage bin door latch and a need to reduce forceful contact of the detectors with the hard rubber bumpers.